New Ga Mantse takes over palace

Supporters of the man laying claim to the Ga Stool, Nii Tackie Adama Latse II, have succeeded in seizing the two main powerhouses of the Ga Kingdom, the main Palace and the offices of the Ga Traditional Council, according to reports monitored by Citifmonline.com.

The palace is located at James Town and the Traditional Council at North Kaneshie.

The Ga Palace, which until its seizure was occupied by King Tackie Tawiah III, was taken over on Friday June 10, before Nii Tackie Adama Latse’s installation on Sunday.

The new ‘King’’s installation was performed by some kingmakers of the Ga State at the main Ga Stool House. His supporters later took over the Traditional Council on Monday June 13, where the new ‘King’ is expected to address the press.

The new king is a London-based businessman known in private life as George Tackie, and hails from Piam, one of the Royal Houses within the Ga state.

The enstoolment follows threats by Gbese Mantse Nii Ayibonte II, to enstool a new Ga Mantse by August 2011.

He insisted that the Ga state currently had no king, dismissing the installation of Nii Tackie Tawiah III who has been acclaimed as the Ga Mantse and recognised as the chairman of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs.

Nii Ayi Bonte, known in private life as Tommy Okine, and who until his enstoolment was the CEO of Accra Hearts of Oak, swore before a gathering last week that he should be destooled if he fails to enstool a new chief.

He mentioned former Tourism Minister, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, former Greater Accra Regional Minister IC Quaye and former Accra Mayor Adjiri Blankson as responsible for the “problems” in the Ga state.

However, the Spokesperson of Nii Tackie Tawiah has described the enstoolment as a “sacrilege and an insult to the Ga throne”

Nii Boye Abbey said the supposed new chief had his parents “adopted into the Teiko Tsuru We” and is “nowhere close to the throne.”

He also accused persons within the ruling NDC government of supervising the sacrilegious act mainly because they have always believed that King Tackie Tawiah was installed by the erstwhile NPP administration.

He mentioned the Ga South DCE, as well as the twin brother of the Member of Parliament for the Odododiodio constituency, and some national security operatives as supervising the act.

Nii Abbey said the action flies in the face of rule of law and says they will take legal action against the claimants.

“It is a big shame, everyone knows that when you are going to enstool a chief, you must make sure that the stool is vacant, that is the first thing, that’s according to the Acting Adontenhene of the Ga State, Nii Okaidja III who is also the Gbese Mantse.

“The Ga Mantse has been on the stool for five years, the Ga Mantse himself has got a judgment dated the 18th of July 2008. The judgment says that the Ga Mantse can continue to be the Ga Mantse, he can continue to act or function as the Ga Mantse.

“What they have done therefore means that they are in contempt of that judgement” he noted.

He also described as “untrue” the rival faction’s claim of seizing the Palace and the Traditional Council.

According to Nii Boye Abbey, the Ga Mantse does not reside at the Traditional Council and spends very little time at the Palace in the early hours of the day.

He accused the Police of failing to provide security at the Traditional Council’s premises as well as the Palace. As a result, he says the supporters of King Tackie Tawiah are massing up at both premises to either sieze back or guard the area since in his opinion the Police have failed to perform their duty.

One comment

Who is this so called New Ga Mantse ? How did he claim the Stool of the Ga Traditional Area? It is rather unfortunate that we have to live with people who do not want peace .Someone whose relatives were adopted into a family now claims the Wealth of the family as his own. The old adage of ” Give a finger and loose your Arm is perfectly shown in this situation. No wonder if others are reluctant to give help to Orphans and others in need. I hope that President Mills will order to investigate this situation to clarify who the right person is to occupy the stool of the Ga Traditional Area.